Chapter 92: You're Crippled
"Take this. And keep them alive!"
Zhou Fan handed Black Light to Xu Ruonan and released his hold on her waist. He spun around to face the door, his entire body tensing into a combat stance.
Xu Ruonan gazed at the dagger in her hand, which pulsed with a dark light. She gave a firm nod and shot forward. Her target was the very opponent who had previously forced her into a retreat—the one whose wrist Zhou Fan had severed with a single strike.
With the tables turned, Xu Ruonan immediately seized the absolute advantage.
CRACK!
Fan broke his opponent's arm with a single punch, incapacitating him. After tying the man up with a rope, he glanced in surprise at the dagger in Xu Ruonan's hand and moved to Zhou Fan's side.
"You're pretty generous, giving a dagger that valuable to your apprentice. I remember you've had that thing for a long time. It's practically your trademark!"
Fan took out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Zhou Fan. He spoke casually, unconcerned about the other ongoing fights. They might take a little longer, but he was confident there wouldn't be any major issues.
"Black Light will be more effective in her hands than in mine," Zhou Fan said in a low voice, taking a drag from the cigarette. "Five of them in total, all top-tier experts. I'll take three, you get two."
"No problem. I haven't had a chance to go all out since I recovered. I'll use these guys outside as a warm-up." Fan nodded and exchanged a look with Zhou Fan. He then shot forward, and in the instant he kicked the door open, he spat the cigarette from his lips, sending it flying toward one of the men's faces.
Zhou Fan charged out as well, intercepting three of the assailants.
The five men, who seemed to recognize Zhou Fan and Fan, turned and fled upstairs.
The chase led to the rooftop, where the seven of them finally clashed.
BAM! BAM!
Both sides were full of ruthless fighters, so they immediately started trading brutal, full-force blows, each punch thrown with the intent to kill.
The five assailants' intentions were clear: they planned to first concentrate their forces to kill Fan, who they perceived as the weaker of the two, and then deal with Zhou Fan together.
But Zhou Fan wouldn't let them have their way. Relying on his superior speed, he moved like a phantom, constantly tying up three of them. This prevented them from helping their two comrades, and a moment's carelessness was all it took for one of them to catch a punch from Zhou Fan.
"Dammit, let's take this guy out first!"
One of the three men facing Zhou Fan, a short fellow, cursed loudly.
Watching the three men attack with all their strength, a faint smile touched the corner of Zhou Fan's lips. He advanced instead of retreating, his hands shooting out to clamp down on one of the men's arms.
The man was terrified, worried Zhou Fan would cripple his arm. He frantically kicked at Zhou Fan's abdomen.
However, it was as if Zhou Fan had anticipated this move. He released the man's arm and lightly tapped the incoming foot. Using the force of the blow, he shot back two steps, bringing him right in front of another opponent.
"You're finished," Zhou Fan said coolly to the opponent, who was too slow to react. He then threw a punch that landed squarely on the man's chest.
THUD!
Although Zhou Fan hadn't used his full strength, the punch was powerful enough to shatter a boulder. How could his opponent possibly withstand it?
The punch sent his opponent flying, but Zhou Fan didn't stop. He immediately threw himself into an awkward series of three rolls across the ground. By the time he was back on his feet, the other two men had already closed in on his previous position.
The two men glanced at their companion, now severely injured and out of the fight from Zhou Fan's single punch. They knew they wouldn't be leaving safely unless they killed him. All hesitation vanished. One of them drew a longsword, and they launched a pincer attack.
Zhou Fan's eyes narrowed. This time, he didn't meet them head-on, instead choosing to dodge continuously as he searched for an opening.
Meanwhile, Fan was locked in a chaotic battle of his own. Wounds were already appearing on his body, but he paid them no mind. This was his first all-out fight since recovering, and he grew more ferocious with every exchange, striking terror into the hearts of his two opponents.
Suddenly, Zhou Fan saw his chance. He slapped his palm against the flat of an incoming sword, shifted his stance, and took a step forward, driving his elbow toward the man's chest.
But just as the elbow was about to connect, the other man flung his longsword like a projectile, sending it hurtling toward Zhou Fan's left side in an attempt to stop the attack.
Zhou Fan ignored it. To kill both of them, trading a sword wound to eliminate one was undoubtedly the best option.
However, in the very instant Zhou Fan's elbow struck the man's chest, the situation changed. His opponent swung his left hand, and a cold light flashed. Before Zhou Fan could react, a three-edged spike was violently plunged into his right abdomen.
SHLICK!
THUD!
As the man was killed by the force of Zhou Fan's elbow strike, the spike was pulled free, followed by a gush of vivid crimson blood.
Zhou Fan staggered back several steps. Ignoring the blood gushing from his right abdomen, he pulled the longsword from his left side and charged the last remaining man.